College Costs in Arkansas

Arkansas Colleges, Cost and Affordability for 2027

How much does it cost to attend college in Arkansas?   The average annual in-state college tuition in Arkansas was $10,681 for the 2024-2025 academic year. This is $7,129 lower than the U.S. average and ranks Arkansas cheaper than average as the 44th most expensive state or district to attend college. This is a change of $2,050 from the 2022-2023 average of $8,631 and represents a 23.75% annual increase in tuition costs. The list of Arkansas colleges below provides school specific cost and value rating.

This analysis surveyed tuition data from the 45 colleges and universities in Arkansas, the most popular being University of Arkansas with 28,186 full time students and an in-state tuition list price of $10,104. Hendrix College is the most expensive in Arkansas with an in-state tuition of $38,200.

All price data are reprinted from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS 2025 survey and reflect reported costs for academic year 2024/2025.

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Arkansas Public Private For-Profit 4 Year 2 Year

  • Public 4 Year
  • Fayetteville, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • $10,104 tuition
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Arkansas is a large public university known for undergraduate business and architecture. The campus sits in the college town of Fayetteville in the Ozark Mountains.

#1 Best Public Universities in Arkansas 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1030-1220
  • Avg GPA 3.74
  • Acceptance Rate 74%
  • Net Price $18,408

  • Private 4 Year
  • Searcy, AR
  • 4.5 | 2 reviews
  • $26,262 tuition

Harding is a private Christian university affiliated with the Churches of Christ and known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. Most students live on the residential campus in the college town of Searcy.

#3 Best Value Colleges in Arkansas 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1050-1290
  • Avg GPA 3.71
  • Acceptance Rate 71%
  • Net Price $22,806

  • Private 4 Year
  • Conway, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • $38,200 tuition
  • Jun 1 application deadline

Hendrix is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate sciences and its Odyssey experiential-learning program. Most students live on the residential campus in the college town of Conway.

#1 Best Value in Arkansas 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1123-1348
  • Avg GPA 3.79
  • Acceptance Rate 56%
  • Net Price $24,699

  • Public 4 Year
  • Jonesboro, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • $8,090 tuition

Arkansas State is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, agriculture, and business. The campus is located in Jonesboro in northeast Arkansas.

#6 Best Public Universities in Arkansas 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1190
  • Avg GPA 3.66
  • Acceptance Rate 82%
  • Net Price $12,410

  • Public 4 Year
  • Russellville, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • $8,674 tuition

Arkansas Tech is a public university known for undergraduate engineering, education, and emergency management. The campus is in Russellville, a small city in the Arkansas River Valley.

#7 Best Public Universities in Arkansas 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1100
  • Avg GPA 3.37
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $12,626
University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • North Little Rock, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • $6,300 tuition
  • Aug 19 application deadline

Pulaski Tech is a public two-year college known for associate programs in nursing, business, and information technology. The main campus is in North Little Rock across from downtown Little Rock.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $14,297

  • Public 2 Year
  • Beebe, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • $3,336 tuition

ASU-Beebe is a public two-year college known for associate programs in nursing, agriculture, and business. The campus is in the small town of Beebe in central Arkansas.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 2.75
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $11,900

  • Public 2 Year
  • Bentonville, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • $4,926 tuition

NWACC is a public community college known for associate programs in nursing, business, and technical fields. The Bentonville campus sits in northwest Arkansas near Walmart's corporate headquarters.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $7,329

  • Public 4 Year
  • Little Rock, AR
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • $9,748 tuition
  • Aug 17 application deadline

UA Little Rock is a public university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and criminal justice. The urban campus is located in Arkansas's capital city.

#2 Best Public Universities in Arkansas 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 960-1210
  • Avg GPA 3.42
  • Acceptance Rate 59%
  • Net Price $12,033

  • Public 4 Year
  • Conway, AR
  • 3.0 | 1 reviews
  • $10,523 tuition

UCA is a public university known for undergraduate education and nursing programs. The campus sits in Conway, a college town north of Little Rock.

#3 Best Public Universities in Arkansas 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 910-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.7
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $16,546

  • Public 4 Year
  • Arkadelphia, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • $8,244 tuition
  • Jul 15 application deadline

Henderson State is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The campus sits in the small college town of Arkadelphia.

#8 Best Public Universities in Arkansas
  • SAT Range 903-1073
  • Avg GPA 3.23
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $20,444

  • Private 4 Year
  • Arkadelphia, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • $34,500 tuition

Ouachita Baptist is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate music, education, and business. Most students live on the residential campus in the small college town of Arkadelphia.

#4 Best Private Colleges in Arkansas 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1070-1280
  • Avg GPA 3.72
  • Acceptance Rate 68%
  • Net Price $24,532

  • Private 4 Year
  • Batesville, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • $31,000 tuition

Lyon is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate arts and sciences. Most students live on the residential campus in Batesville in the Ozark foothills.

6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1050-1195
  • Avg GPA 3.0
  • Acceptance Rate 63%
  • Net Price $19,872
University of Arkansas at Monticello Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Monticello, AR
  • 2.0 | 2 reviews
  • $9,292 tuition

UAM is a public university known for undergraduate forestry, agriculture, and natural resources. The campus sits in the small town of Monticello in southeast Arkansas.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 2.71
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $14,613

  • Private 4 Year
  • Siloam Springs, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • $31,756 tuition

John Brown is a private Christian university known for undergraduate engineering, nursing, and business. The residential campus is in the small college town of Siloam Springs in northwest Arkansas.

#2 Best Colleges in Arkansas 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1070-1340
  • Avg GPA 3.77
  • Acceptance Rate 76%
  • Net Price $21,537

  • Public 4 Year
  • Magnolia, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • $9,960 tuition
  • Aug 27 application deadline

SAU is a public university known for undergraduate business, education, and nursing. The campus is in the small college town of Magnolia.

#4 Best Public Universities in Arkansas 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 875-1105
  • Avg GPA 3.46
  • Acceptance Rate 75%
  • Net Price $13,442

  • Public 4 Year
  • Pine Bluff, AR
  • | 0 reviews
  • $9,412 tuition

UAPB is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate aquaculture and agriculture. Students study on a residential campus in Pine Bluff in southeastern Arkansas.

#5 Best Public Universities in Arkansas 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 845-1108
  • Avg GPA 2.9
  • Acceptance Rate 41%
  • Net Price $12,373
University of Arkansas Fort Smith Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Fort Smith, AR
  • 3.5 | 2 reviews
  • $7,334 tuition

UAFS is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The campus sits in Fort Smith near the Oklahoma border.

0/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.39
  • Acceptance Rate 80%
  • Net Price $11,159